Mission Statement

The European Democracy Lab is a think tank generating innovative ideas for Europe.

We promote the European common good beyond the nation state. The core issue of the Lab is to develop a transnational paradigm and explore alternative conceptions of the European polity. We connect research, advocacy and culture.

Current projects

From theatre balconies and open spaces all over Europe, artists and citizens will proclaim the European Republic, discuss, and pave the way for the emancipatory claim of citizens’ equality beyond the nation-state.

REGIOPARL aims at gaining, documenting and publicly distributing a better understanding of the instruments, limits and potentials of the regional level as a bearer of European democracy. REGIOPARL wishes to systematically study, contextualize and explain the role of regional polities in European integration and thereby propose convincing solutions to the institutional and democratic challenges Europe is facing.

The European Republic is a EUtopia (Greek εὖ "good" or "well" and τόπος "place") for a democratic future in Europe: A republic where all European citizens enjoy political equality. The common good, res publica, is the guiding principle of our proposal for a future European community.

Though this vision is utopian in times of constant crisis, our goal is to open the debate beyond the current public discourse trapped between technocratic vocabulary and harsh rhetoric of growing nationalist movements. We want to discuss real alternatives.

There is a Plan B for Europe – The European Republic. We are convinced, our continent can transform into a post-national, truly democratic, just, and fair place.

EUROPE 2045 is series of workshops, which seeks to initiate fresh thinking about our attitude towards cooperation between European countries and more broadly, our conception of what Europe is. We believe that the European Union as a form of political organization as well as much of Europe's shared history is not adequately covered in school and university curricula throughout the continent. Dominated by national overtones, our common history of political organization and dialogue is hardly discussed, future generations are not encouraged to participate in a discourse on Europe's current form, and more importantly: its future course.

Equality

Europe as political community must be founded on the principle of political equality for all European citizens. After peace and freedom, European democracy can only be achieved through equality.

Europe of regions and cities

“Nation is fiction, region is home.” The Lab encourages a model in which Europe’s diverse regions form the constitutive units of a European polity built around the European common good.

We need your support to continue our work!

As a non-profit-organization, most of our work relies on donations. Each and every Euro matters. With your donation, we organize conferences, artistic interventions and workshops, spread ideas through various channels and engage with citizens at large.

As a registered charity, your donation is tax-deductible throughout the European Union. A receipt will be sent to you by Betterplace.org.

The rule of law, sexual freedom, gender equality, free trade. Norms that seemed fundamental are being put into question. The backlash against a rule-based international system and free societies is not just occurring in the West but throughout the world. Has market centrism and increasing inequality left too many people behind?

Have we made any progress in fighting inequality, sexism, racism, and other exclusionary tendencies? When did we lose track of striving towards ever fairer societies and economies that value equality, freedom and the rule of law?

A series of talks between research and activism on the role of the economy, the state, and gender in times of resurgent nationalism.

A wide debate on the future of Europe is taking place, at a time of multiple challenges for the European integration. At the same time, we see the striking calls for greater autonomy or even independence ...

Contact & Newsletter

European Democracy Lab Kirchstraße 110557 Berlin

The European Democracy Lab was founded at the European School of Governance (eusg) in Berlin and is now supported in its cultural and advocacy work by the non-profit organization European Democracy Lab e.V. Research activities are conducted at the European School of Governance (eusg).